'86/21 - III B.65. Trucial Hinterland Exploration' [37r] (73/256)
The record is made up of 1 file (126 folios). It was created in 3 Jan 1939-24 Jul 1945. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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avoid the vicinity of Khor al O&eid in spite of the views
which we hold in regard to its ownership; they will find
quite enough to do if they start 20 miles to the south-east
of this Khor. I presume that the survey will he by the new
gravitymeter method (I am not quite sure how it works, but
this method enables large tracts of desert area to be covered
in a comparatively short space of time for the purpose of
selecting specific areas where closer work can be done, e.g.
by seismograph). Subject to the remarks made above, there
will, I suggest, be no need for us to intervene in the dis
cussions with the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi which the Company's
own representative can conduct on the basis of the concession.
4. To turn now to item 1. Last winter we could do nothing
with the Beni Kitab, and the Company effected their contacts
with the Beni Ka'ab, the Fa'im and the Al Bu Shamis through
the Sultan of Muscat's Wali at Sohar. It is needless to re
capitulate the reasons for the failure of last year's attemot,
~ h*3-
which are summarised in your demi-official letter No• 30-3
dated the 9th January 1939 to Peel and its enclosures. This
year I strongly advise that the approach to the Na' im and Al
Bu Shamis should be via the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi and his rep
resentative in the Baraimi Oasis. Direct contacts might be
established in one of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi's villages in
the Baraimi Oasis between the Company's representative (pre
sumably Lermitte) and the tribal Shaikhs concerned - in parti
cular with Mohammad bin Bahmah of the Jebel Hafit Al Bu Shamis.
There must of course be some money showing and promises of
more on completion of the survey.
5. It is however not impossible that such a procedure
might cost the Company a certain amount of good will with
the Sultan of Muscat, and I can only suggest that this
difficulty be obviated by giving Muscat so much to do in
conducting /«
About this item
- Content
The file comprises correspondence between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Trenchard Craven Fowle, Charles Geoffrey Prior), the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman), the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muscat (Ralph Ponsonby Watts, Tom Hickinbotham), the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (John Percival Gibson, Roland Tennyson Peel) and Petroleum Concessions Limited, later Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) Limited (Basil Henry Lermitte, Stephen Hemsley Longrigg, Thomas Fulton Williamson) regarding geological exploration of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and Muscat, and its subsequent postponement owing to World War Two.
The correspondence discusses initial plans for the exploration of the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and Muscat during the winter of 1939 – 1940 and the intention that the Sultan of Muscat (Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd ) would provide access to areas under the control of the Naim [Na‘īm] and Al Bu Shamis [Āl Bū Shāmis] tribes. Also discussed is the possibility of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi (Shaikh Shakhbūt bin Sulṭān bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān) providing access to Baraimi [Al Buraymī ] now that a concession has been signed for his territory; and other work that might be undertaken in both Muscat and Abu Dhabi. This survey work was ultimately postponed owing to concerns over access to, and protection whilst in the relevant territory, as well as the outbreak of War in Europe.
Later correspondence discusses the decision to postpone geological surveying owing to wartime conditions, and consideration of a resumption of work in 1945 with proposals for a small geological survey party working in the Baraimi and Jebel Hafit [Jabal Ḩafīt] area’s with geophysical surveys commencing in 1946. Included in the file are reports from a geologist for Petroleum Concessions Limited, Thomas Fulton Williamson, which discuss the potential problems of supplies, labour, transport, and accommodation that would have to be overcome.
Other matters discussed in the volume include:
- news of the death of Shaikh Muhammad bin Sultan An-Nu’aimi [Sheikh Muḥammad bin Sulṭān Al-Nu`aimī] of Dhank who had been succeeded by his brother Shaikh Saqr bin Sultan [Sheikh Saqr bin Sulṭān Al-Nu`aimī] of Baraimi;
- the need to attempt to define the boundaries of the various Trucial Shaikh’s territories and proposing that initially each Shaikh be asked to state what they considered to be under their control so that areas of joint or disputed ownership could be identified;
- a meeting in Sharjah with the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain, Shaikh Mohammed bin Saqr al-Jawassim [Sheikh Muḥammad bin Saqr Āl Qasimī] brother of the Shaikh of Sharjah, Shaikh Saqr bin Sultan of the Naim at Dhank, Shaikh Rashid bin Hamad [Rāshid Bin Ḥumaid] of Al Bu Shamis at Baraimi) and Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali bin Huweidin of the Beni Qitab (also written as Beni Chittab). That this was the first time in ten years that the Chief of the Beni Qitab had been persuaded to come to Sharjah and was considered a positive sign that could benefit Petroleum Concessions Limited in gaining access to territory under the Beni Qitab’s control;
- concerns in 1939 over Petroleum Concessions Limited’s intentions with regard to their concessions in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and whether they actually intended exploiting them or had merely acquired them to prevent other companies from doing so.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (126 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 128; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-127; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/695
- Title
- '86/21 - III B.65. Trucial Hinterland Exploration'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:33v, 36r:59v, 61r:74v, 80v:85v, 86v:96v, 98r:99v, 102r:102v, 105v:112v, 115r:115v, 116v, 120r:127v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence